January 19-22

• BLOG
• VIDEO
• QUICK GUIDE

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Paris will always have a special place in my mind- it was the first European city I ever visited on my first ever journey across the Atlantic and four years later it was the first trip I took while living in Rome for five months. 
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Scroll through to see some of the highlights of the trip!

Flight into CDG, Flight out of ORY
Hostel: St. Christopher's Gare du Nord
Ladurée on Champs Elysèes- Order the Croque Monsieur
Le Petit Chaise- Oldest restaurant in Paris, amazing French onion soup and escargot
Angelina- iconic hot chocolate
"r" restaurant- expensive but great atmosphere and view of the Eiffel Tower
​Les Deux Magot- faous cafe
Walk from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower along the left bank, amazing organic crepe place on the way
Walk down Champs Elysèes
Visit the Eiffel Tower at night- walk the river or do a boat cruise 
Hôtel de Pourtalès- Hotel where Kim K was robbed
Buy champagne and walk through the Tuileries at sunset
Marais- modern art galleries, turn into edm clubs/bars at night 
Thrift stores: Kilo Shop, Free'P'Star
Vintage stores: Vintage System, Noir Kennedy
Day trip to Monmartre
Day trip to Versailles
Museums/sites: Musèe d'Orsay, the Louvre, Musèe Rodin, Notre Dame, Arc d'Triumph, Moulin Rouge

Flight into Charles de Gaulle Airport
Cab to the city center- 45 euro

Since it was our first trip abroad, we decided to get the "full experience" and booked bunks in a 12 person room at the Gare du Nord location of St. Christopher's Hostel.

Brunch: Ladurèe on Champs Elysèes
Tip: Order the Croque Monsieur, a glass of wine and finish with iconic macaroons

Walk from the east to the west bank of the Seine across one of the many love lock bridges and watch couples, friends and families secure locks to the grates and toss the keys into the river.

When you visit any city, it's only natural to want to experience the iconic and historic sites. When you think Paris, you might think of The Eiffel Tower or The Louvre...you might also think of the hotel where Kim K was held at gunpoint. Being the pop culture junkies we are, we couldn't resist paying a visit to Hôtel de Pourtalès and bringing along some rosé for an honorary toast to Kim. 

As the sun began to set, we made our way to the Tuileries. (Be sure to make a pit stop at Angelina to warm up with the best cup of hot chocolate arguably in the world.) After pit stop part II at a corner store to pick up more champagne, we strolled through The Tuileries Garden and watched the Eiffel Tower become a silhouette.

If you're looking to explore the local art scene in addition to the classics, The Marais Art Galleries feature modern interpretive art- they also have foosball tables and vendors set up throughout, so it's a super fun place to escape the cold. We went twice in one day because at night they rollin in deep house DJs and a fully stocked bar.

It goes without saying that you need to eat a crêpe a day while you're in Paris. The best part? The very best crêpes come from the stands that you find on every other street corner.

Time for the icons: The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower & Notre Dame. We started the morning at The Louvre then made our way down the left bank to the Eiffel Tower. The best part of the walk? The organic creperie that marks the halfway point.

A little silly, but it's become a sort of tradition. The summer before my freshman year, I was desperately searching for the perfect roommate- a job that's a little difficult if you don't know a soul going to your school and you're preparing to move across the country. Girl-flirting on facebook, I eventually found my roommate. We knew it was a perfect match when we found identical "licking the Eiffel Tower" pictures. Needless to day, I carried on the tradition when I re-visited four years later. 

One more throwback for good measure:

A few more Paris staples: baguettes, Musée d'Orssay, Notre-Dame, Musée Rodin and French Onion Soup. 

A must-visit restaurant: Le Petit Chase. It's the oldest restaurant in Paris and their French onion soup is the best I've ever tasted.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower just once is not an option. At night, when it sparkles from top to bottom, the iconic structure takes on a whole new persona. After indulging on French delicacies all day, I jumped at the opportunity for an after-dinner stroll. 

If you have the time for a day trip, the train to Versailles is worth the short ride. Wander through the hall of mirrors and the expansive gardens- you'll forget about the 21st century all together.

Another Parisian Icon to experience at night: Moulin Rouge. Bonus: The surrounding area has a great bar scene- think drinks served in smoking volcanoes and massive conch shells. 

Our last day in the city, we decided to explore without an agenda...after croissants and cappuccinos. 

A day without a plan brought us to some of the best vintage stores I've ever been to. My personal favorites for thrifting were Kilo Shop and Free'P'Star and my favorites for vintage were Vintage System and Noir Kennedy. ​

On our way to visit a friend who was living in the 7th arrondissement, we happened upon a square complete with a vintage carousel, insane parkour artists and a dance troupe of street performers. Needless to say, we stopped by a corner store to pick up some wine and enjoyed the sunlight for a few hours. 

Check out my video for some highlights :)